Japanese auto industry leading the green tech movement

Honda's compress natural gas powered Civic GX undergo final testing at the Japanese automaker's Greensburg, Indiana plant on March 17, 2011. The greenest car most people have likely never heard of will soon be hitting showrooms across the United States as Honda expands Civic GX sales beyond a handful of test markets. AFP PHOTO / MIRA OBERMAN

(Mira Oberman/AFP/Getty Images)

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 6:00 AM

Despite a year of natural disasters, Japan’s motor industry is still taking a lead in innovation by unveiling some of the most innovative and technologically advanced vehicles imaginable -- with the probability that at least some of the designs will make it onto our roads in the future.

Electric cars with cutting-edge green technology and vehicles remote-controlled by smartphones are being unveiled in the year since Japan's devastating earthquake.

Japanese car makers are showcasing concept cars with "transformable" bodies and automotive computers linked to smart phones, while showing off energy-efficient vehicles with electric, fuel cell and hybrid engines.

Compact, fuel-efficient cars form the focus of the future.

Honda Motor Co. is wowing enthusiasts with its EV-ster. The electric-powered concept car relies on a lithium-ion battery pack that gives it a range of 159 km and is able to shift from standing still to nearly 100 km/h in close to 5 seconds.

Honda also took the wraps off the AC-X, its vision of a future plug-in hybrid sedan, and the N Box light vehicle. On the powertrain side, the company detailed plans for a series of fuel-efficient four- and six-cylinder engines as well as continuously variable transmissions.

Nissan is promoting its new Nismo, a souped-up version of the Juke crossover that benefits from an aerodynamic body kit, larger brakes, 19-inch wheels and tougher springs and shocks.

And while the vehicle is still at the concept stage, public interest in the look of the car and its enhanced 1.6-litre turbocharged engine suggest that it may very well end up in production.

Toyota Motor Corp. is introducing its new 86 coupe, a rear-wheel-driven sports car that packs 200 horsepower and is a significant shift from cars such as the Camry or the Prius hybrid. The company said it wants the car to "evolve with its owner" and has a front design that is meant to give the impression of a "predator about to pounce."

As well as the 86, Toyota has unveiled the Fun-Vii, an interactive concept car that works in the same way as a personal computer device, is able to recognize and greet its driver and enables connectivity throughout the drive, the company said, either through the touch of a touch-panel door or the in-car interface. The driver can even change the color of the vehicle from the driving seat.

Subaru is also looking to the future with its Advanced Tourer concept wagon, equipped with scissor-wing front doors more often seen on a Lamborghini, and a turbocharged engine with a hybrid drivetrain.

Mazda similarly unveiled its Takerri sedan concept, which makes use of the company's Skyactiv fuel-sipping engines and its E-loop hybrid system, which captures energy when the brakes are applied and stores it in capacitors instead of a large and unwieldy battery.

In addition to cars, this year's Tokyo Motor Show included some thought-provoking designs, such as the foldable robot scooter that is controlled by a smartphone that its developers believe is the future of urban driving.

Named the Kobot, the three-wheel scooter has a top speed of 30 km/h, can be packed away after use and could be zipping through the streets of Tokyo next year, according to developer Kowa Tmsuk.